Legend of the Four Blades

Feudal Fantasy Japan

With the arrival of lord Tai-lo coinciding with the new years his plans are to get his affairs, as well as the towns, in order. Issuing a list of requests to the party he has full confidence that they can have help to make the town a less notorious place. After dealing with an infestation of spider demons in the western wood and a shortage on furs for commercial use. The group had went their seperate ways and returned victorious. While they came lacking as many regents for Hyako as he had hoped the group was rewarded and decided to persue the oni witch residing near the town.

What will they asked when they find their target. Just what might be awaiting them when they arrive? We’ll learn of this saturday.

Gold:2,000gp.
Level:3’rd
Stats: 24 D6 you allocate how many d6’s you want to your stats. You can choose 2 stats and if you’re not pleased with the end result then you may reroll that stat with 1 less d6 each roll. You have to take the next result a redo means you forfeit the previous roll all together.

Theme:Chinese/Japanese, once all characters are made I will expect a loose tether to each character to show how you know one another so party conflicts are minimal. Rivalies/Hostilities are fine though no outright persecution of one another.

Special: Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is in under my discretion. Anyone that tries to go out of their way to make an uncomfortable silence or belittle other characters by trying to make the same character but better, or doing one thing that ruins everyon elses fun I’ll kindly ask you to not play anymore. This is the only posted warning.

If you want anything unique talk to me about it and be truthful with your full intentions on what you want to use it for. I’ll take it as that and probably green light it.

Races: See Tanuki&Bakeneko&Tengu in the Eberron group forum for expanded races and weapons. Obviously in this campaign things are seen a little different. Tengu are as base in the Bestiary (thankfully they did the lifting in that race for me.)

Elves&Half-Elves:The elves are living embodiments of the tether between the material and spirit world, many see these creatures as the reason many spiritual beings come into the world and such some elves have faced persecution in the past and present, the same stands for their half-blooded offspring. Generally taking on traits of their surroundings, elves born near prominent bodies of water are influenced by the spirits inhabiting it, often staining their skin a light azure color, or mountainous elves will carry a look of carrying a constant thin layer of soil upon their skin when really it is there flesh. Elves born near a volcano carry hints of red or bronze coloration to their skin. Elves born near the frozen north carry a pristine white color to their skin and often feel cold to the touch. Elves born near prominent natural surroundings may have a more green hue.

Half-Orcs:The mountain and fiendish Oni are brutish creatures and have been known to take much from human settlements they stumble upon be it livestock or even the herder for meat, some also take women to serve as a personal harem. The few mothers that manage to survive childbirth give live to the Half-orcs, or Half-Oni or Oniketsuen. Are often seen as little more than animals, their lives fated from birth to be a cruel one. These creatures carry bronze skin and more often then not carry a mouth full of jagged teeth, constant reminders of what it is that spawned them.

Dwarves:Hardy spawn of mortals and mountain spirits the dwarves are often a secluded bunch. Brewers, weapon smiths, and holy-men. They are known to stay in large communities beneith the earth. (They are much the same as the traditional dwarf.)

Tanuki
Small Fey Starting ability Scores: +2 Dexterity/Charisma, -2Intelligence Speed 20Ft. Scent Keen Senses: A Tanuki recieves +2 To perception checks Natural Attacks 2Claws, 1D3+Strength Mod Rage: As Barbarian Persists untill Tanuki or Foe are Slain. Can only be activated in response to direct damage. Change Shape:As a move action a tanuki can assume the form of a badger, squat humanoid, or its natural form. When in its badger form a Tanuki gains an additional bite attack That deals 1d3+1-1/2 Strength. Speak with animals 1/day Prestidigitation 1/day Ghost Sound 1/Day

Tanuki are wise and fearless, friendly, humanoid badgers with a strong sense of humor and a stronger thirst for strong drink, especially sake (Which they can be convinced to enter high risk situations for high quality sake or alcohol.) They usually where human clothes over their squat, fat, furry bodies; typically a straw hat, silk or cotton robes, and wooden sandals. They speak and understand common.

Tanuki love for alcohol is legendary. One of their favorite methods is misdirection; one will sing or dance while several others will roll away a barrel of sake from a tea house or inn while distacted. On rare occasions they may set up a brewery of their own, but this rarely amounts to much, as they enjoy sampling their own product a bit to much.

Bakeneko/Nekomata
Medium Sized Fey +2 Dex/Wis, -2Strength A Bakenekos land speed is 30 feet Darkvision:A Bakeneko can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Feline Transformation: As a move action a bakeneko can transform into a housecat. When in cat form the Bakeneko gains the following His size changes to Tiny: This offers a +8 to stealth checks as well as a +2 size bonus to armor class. (a bakeneko may not wear armor as it reverts ‘into’ the bakeneko.) A Bakeneko gains a +10 bonus to his land speed. As well as an addition +2 Dex, -2 Str. A Bakeneko gains natural weapons in the form of 2 Claw attacks and a bite. The claw damage is 1d2, while the bite is 1d3. A Bakeneko must wait 1 hour before reverting back and forth between forms. Keen Senses: A bakeneko gains a +2 Bonus to all perception checks. Feline Reflexes: A bakeneko gains a +2 bonus to all acrobatics and escape artist checks. Alignment Tail: A bakeneko of good or simply neutral alignment carries only one long tail. However a bakeneko of evil alignment is referred to as a nekomata and possesses a forked tail split at the base. A Proper knowledge (Nature) check of 15 can identify the difference between the two.

Bakenekos are born from a rare phenominon when a housecat lives long enough to see its 13’th birthday. Upon which a dramatic transformation unfolds. The cat first gains the ability to speak then this tranformation continues untill finally the feline is able to assume a fully human form. This form usually mirrors the bakenekos original owner or a human of personal signifigance to the bakeneko.

Whimsical and mischevious in nature a bakeneko will often tag along travelers or attach themselves to a certain site or property out of boredom. This state is often cured with small tricks upon the owners or individual in an attempt to prove that life is not as serious as the individual would believe and in a way to adopt a more care-free lifestyle. This point usually leads to the bakenekos undoing as it can then grow bored of the house or individual and move on for greener pastures.

Bakenekos are as greedy as they are whimsical, often coveting objects of particular wealth or simply objects with a particular luster. Often hordes of stray gems or coins are a way of showing a bakeneko has or is currently residing within a residence.

Weapons&Armor

Weapon: Dai Katana (Exotic) Cost:600gp Damage (Small): 1d10 Damage (Medium): 2D8 Critical:19-20×2 Range Increment:— Weight:12lb Type:Slashing Special: A Large creature with the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat may use a Dai-Katana as a one handed weapon. The Size of the weapon itself make it unweildy to medium sized creatures and is considered a Large weapon.

Weapon:Ninja-To (Light) Cost:10gp Damage (Small):1d4 Damage (Medium):1d6 Critical:19-20×2 Range Increment:— Weight:3lb Type:Slashing Special: A Ninja-to’s case can be used as a blowgun or club equal to its size.

Weapon:Nekode (Light, Exotic) Cost:5GP Damage (Small):1d3 Damage (Medium):1d4 Critical:x2 Range Increment:— Weight:2 Type:Piercing/Slashing Special: A Nekode is a set of bladed spikes that line the palm of the hand. These weapons offer a +2 Circumstance bonus to Climb checks

Southern Lake: Former home to an evil serpent spirit, left unresided to recover for over four years now a kitsune has established itself as the lake spirit, a position appointed by the Fox God Inari. The only residents on the northern bank is a small fishing family consisting of man, wife, and a newborn on the way.

Horseshoe forest. Tiger and Hawk are not the only influence as of late (After tiger expanded borders to consume the village other clans put their sights on the highly strategic village.) The Oni clan (Eastern section) and Bear clan (Western section) have been fighting amongst the woods and bamboo forest to try and stage a coup against Tiger clan to claim the city as their own.

Things of Interest:Shrine to Fujin&Raijin. Small Noble Castle (Tiger Lord). Trade road between East-West kingdom. Inn, Tradehouse, Small cliff 25 feet at highest point. Footprint of a former noodle shop.

Noteable People: Hien(Unknown), The elderly priest who resides at the shrine. Friendly and often accomidating to strangers he is known to house a family of racoons that recently taken residence near the shrine.

Lord Kage Tai-Lo Huang(36), The new lord reigning over Yaku-Soku. Brought in by request of the Emperor from the Tiger Clain and entrusted with the dealings of the town. A robust and indulgeant man he cares less for the regal nature of his position, little else is known to him at this point.

Vassels: Mai (19), Shenmaru (23), Byoku (29), Fei (25).

The Koshi Family, Maru(Son:12), Jiyone (Daughter:17), Gakumaru (Father:39), and Machide(Mother:36): The Koshi Family run the local inn, a scenic and rather calm place. Friendly and more then accomidating they give Hien a complimentary room, meals, and drink.

Hyako (No family name)34: Hyako runs the tradehouse. A blunt as well as eccentric middle aged man who is well known to speak loudly as well as act as such. Typically sounding the day with a large gong positioned beside his shop to grab attention he sells all manner of things from food, conventional weaponry, light and medium armors, all traditional gear, light (not heavy) horses and feed, to alcholic drink, he is known to have his hands near everywhere in town.

Details:Moderate Four Field Rice plantation with Wild Sugar Cane growing amongst the bamboo thickets that seperate the northern side of town from the forest. (Home to several families of panda) the village has thrived for 40 years thanks to a local lake that is 1/2 days travel from the road which with several canals make the village perfect for growing rice, however a recent draught has left the rice fields with little output as of late.